Thursday, April 13, 2006

Fitting In

by Molly, 5th grader

Manny is ten years old. She was always smiling, always laughing. That’s where it all started, when Manny was walking home from school. She walked in the door, smiling, giggling. She twirled her long curly blonde hair between her hands.

“Mom, mom where are you?” she called.

“In the living room dear.” her mom answered. Manny ran to the living room.

“Mom, I had the best day in school I’ve ever had, I got an A+ on my English test!” she smiled.

“Great, um, I’ve got some news, we’re moving.” her mom stuttered. The room fell silent. Manny fell silent. That was the worst news ever. She had been having the best day and she had told her that they were moving.

A few months later Manny, her mom and dad drove to their new house, the moving van following them. Manny silently cried, but no tears fell, she wanted to scream out no, but it was too late, they were moving. They pulled up to a driveway. Manny stared. It was the oddest house she had ever seen. She got out of the car and walked into it. It was huge, way too huge. Manny went down the basement stairs and claimed the basement her room. The movers carried her bed in.

All she did that night was write in her journal. When it was time for bed all she could worry about is her new school, and missing her old friends, all the way back in New Jersey , and here she was, stranded in Kentucky . Finally, she fell asleep.

She woke up the next morning, threw on a blue jean skirt and tank top and walked to her new school. When she got there, all the kids stared and whispered. She walked over to what she thought was the ‘Popular’ group.

“Hi, I’m Manny.” She said shyly. They all starred.

“You the new kid?” a girl asked.

“Yeah,” Manny replied.

“Oh, bye.” she said rudely

“Um, do think I could hang out with you guys?”

They turned “For one we’re not ‘guys’ we’re girls, and no, you’re a nerdy new kid, and obviously a loser.” She remarked as she made an L sign on her forehead. Manny almost cried. Her lips grew tighter and tighter, till she ended up running to the bathroom and cried her heart out.

No one would talk to her throughout the day and at the end a bunch of guys started to bully her.

“Hey, new kid having trouble making friends, crybaby?” he pushed her down in the mud. “Good.” He laughed and walked away.

Manny got up and ran all the way home. She went to her room and pulled her fencing gear on and grabbed her sword. She went down to the nearest Y and beat some boys. She came home feeling relived and non stressful.

The next day at school she met some new friends, eventually the boys stopped bullying her, but that’s the story. The lesson is if you move and you’re getting bullied, stand up to them and make some new friends if you have trouble fitting in.